Physician - Cardiology

Summary Education and length of practice are considered through a formal pay-setting process to determine the final compensable salary (Base Pay + Market Pay). The position is approximately 50% clinical electrophysiology procedural and inpatient and outpatient care, 40% general cardiology inpatient and outpatient care, and 10% clinical research. Learn more about this agency Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Additional Requirements and Specialized Experience: Electrophysiology Procedural Skills: The candidate/applicant must be experienced, competent, and comfortable at independently covering the EP Lab and performing all the following required complex clinical cardiac electrophysiology procedures: Electrophysiological (EP) studies. 3-D mapping techniques of cardiac chambers and arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation ablation (pulmonary vein isolation): Candidate must be trained and competent in using both cryoablation as well as radiofrequency ablation techniques. EP studies +/- ablation of all other atrial arrhythmias Ventricular arrhythmia ablation. Implantation of cardiac implantable electronic devices (transvenous permanent pacemaker (PPM), transvenous / subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), implantable loop recorder (ILR)). Implantation of leadless pacemakers like Micra. Insertion of temporary pacing wire. Extraction of pacing or ICD or CRT leads and systems (e.g. in settings of endocarditis, leads malfunction, etc.). Venograms. Transseptal punctures. Cardioversions. Interrogation and programming of cardiac devices (PPM, ICD, CRT, ILR) using programmers. Left atrial appendage occlusion devices, in particular the Watchman. Electrophysiology Inpatient and Outpatient care: In addition to EP procedural skills, the candidate must have the independent ability to be the attending to EP inpatient consults, perform ECG readings, cardiac monitor readings, remote monitoring of cardiac devices, and attending in the general outpatient device clinic and in his or her own arrhythmia clinic; and reading echocardiograms. General Cardiology Inpatient and Outpatient Care: The position will require approximately 40% time providing general cardiology care. The candidate must have experience in covering the Critical Care Unit and attending to general cardiology inpatients, including patients with heart failure, acute and stable coronary syndromes, cardiology consults from the Medicine and Surgery services, and covering general cardiology Fellows outpatient clinic. Research Skills: The successful applicant will be required to conduct clinical research at the VA on arrhythmias, heart failure, and cardiac implantable electronic devices. He or she must therefore demonstrate qualification, competence, and experience in the following: Evidence of postgraduate academic training in epidemiology and biostatistics at doctoral level (PhD). Independent use of statistical packages (STATA, SPPS, or SAS among others). Must have a track record of research in the field of cardiovascular medicine and specifically in areas of cardiac implantable electronic devices, arrhythmias, and heart failure. This should be corroborated by peer-reviewed epidemiological research publications in cardiovascular medicine in high-impact journals. Must have the ability to analyze large datasets and perform systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Evaluation of physical, cognitive and emotional fitness of candidates for appointment in VA is required prior to appointment. Candidates must be capable of interactions with patients and health care personnel in a caring and professional manner. The candidate must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads, to function effectively under stress, to adapt to changing environments, and to display flexibility. Education Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.] NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. Additional information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Read more Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.